Looping-machine.



C. H. F. KEENE.

LOOPING MACHINE. I

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19. 1914.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

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LOOPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19. 1914.

1,152,105. Patented Aug. 31,1915.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onnion.

CHARLES H. IE. KEENE, or PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORTO CHARLES I.

ROSENAU AND'HERBERT B. LOEB, coPARTNEns TRADING AS ROSENAU;&*LOEB, 0F

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LOOPING MAC'HINE.

chines, of which the following isa full,

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

In the knitting of stockings on circular knitting machines a circular Web is knit to a form the leg and that portion of the foot between heel and toe, while flat webs are knit to form the heel and toe pockets. The heelpocket is closed in the knitting operation,

but the toe pocket is left open and is subsequently closed on a looping machine. The

' latter comprises essentially a slowly rotating table carrying a brass ring in which are held an endless series of radially extending I points upon which the operator loopsthe fabric some distance from the end thereof. Along the periphery of the ring arearranged successively a trimmer which severs the fabric along the line of looped stitches,

' a brush which removes fine particles of yarn produced in the trimming operation, and sewing mechanism which closes the toe pocket. In these machines certain difiiculties are encountered inthe operation of the trimming devices and their adjustment, the short life and breakage of the trimming knives necessitating frequent and expensive renewals. The brushes effect imperfect cleaning with resultant imperfect work by the sewing mechanism.

The object of my invention isto overcome To that end, whileI find I these objections. no occasion to change the construction of the points and their supporting means or ofv the sewing mechanism, I have substantially reorganized the construction and operation of 1 the trimming devices and brushes.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the portion of the looping mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section onthe linev 3'3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an elevationlook- 'ing in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. Fig.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 31, 1915. Application filed November 19, 1914. Serial No. 872,318. i

arrow 5,Fig. 1. V I

shall first describe the construction'and 5lis anlelevationlooking in the direction of operationof my improved mechanism and shall then point out some of. the substantial advantages which experience has shown is,

attained by the use of my improvement.

The circular table a,'of which only a small section is shown, is recessed along its periph ery'to receiyea'fianged and recessed brass ring Z2, which is provlded with radial grooves adapted to'receive looping points 0. Plates d are confined within the annular recess in' ring I) and hold points 0 in place. Other plates 6 are secured to table a andengage a recess along the inner edgev of ring 12.

Ring 6 isrotated by any suitable means. Thus in Fig. 3a shaft fturns in'a bearing 9 depending from the table and carries a pin- 1011 i which engages a rack j on ring 6. A cover It inclosing the rack and pinion is secured to table a.

Secured to table a is a bracket h, from which a forked block m is vertically adjustably supported by meansof a threaded pro extends into a groove in support r to which support the plate u is secured by a screw Z. By loosening screw 25, the knife may be adjusted up or down by means of screws 25, after which the knife is held inits adjusted position by'means of screw t.

vTurning in bearings in the forks of block m is a shaft 0 carryinga knife-support to, which is shaped approximately like a solid half-cylinder. Support to abuts againstone side of block on but not so tightly as to prevent it freely turning. The periphery of support to is recessed across part of its width and in the directionof its circumference to receivethe'curved knife or cutter w. The outer face of the knife is substantially flush withthe support and is held in place 7 by means of a plate 3 which is retained forth on the axis of shaft v, cooperates with the cutting edge of stationary knife 8 to sever'the loops of yarn carried by points in the turning movement of ringb. I

The cutting edge of oscillatory knife m extends at a sharp angleto the periphery of 1 the ring so that the cutting edges of the two knives cooperate ina manner similar. to that of the blades of a pair of shears. At the I mostoutwardly extending edge of knife w the same is provided with a projection or guard 00 which engages and slides upon the stationary knife 8, thereby, in case of inaccurate adjustment ofthe cutters, preventing the possibility of the two cutting edges striking and insuring that they cutting edge of knife :0 shall ride over the cutting edge .of knife 8 in proper relation thereto.

The block we may be adjusted vertically by means ofjscrews 10 and 11' (see Fig. 4),

each of which extends through an overhang ing end on bracket [6. One screw (10) abuts against block m and the other is in threaded engagement with block m. If it be desired to adjust block on in an upward direction, nut 0 is first turned to free the block, then screw 10 is turned so as to cause its lower end to rise from the block a distance equal to the height of adjustment desired, then screw 11 is turned to raise the vblockagainst screw 10, and then nut 0 is tightened. To adjust the block in a downward direction, nut 0 is turned as before, screw 11 is unscrewed to allow the block to move down to the desired extent, then screw 10 is turned to press the block 'down and then nut 0 is tightened as before.

To. oscillate shaft 4) and the oscillatory knife carried thereby, thefollowing means are, provided. A driving shaft 20 is arranged outside the ring and has a disk 21 on which is radially adjustable a plate 22 carrying a crank pin 23 out of line with the axis of shaft 20. From crank pin 23 ex tends a connecting rod 24:, the end of which is bent to extend radially of table a and above the space between the forks of block m. To the end ofrod 24 is pivoted on a horizontal axisone'end of an arm 25, the other end of the arm being threaded on a pin 26 extending from a hub 27 secured to shaft 0. If the axis of shafts o and 20 were arranged in parallel relation, this .connection might be simplified, but as it ispreferred to also drive the rotary brush (hereinafter described) from shaft 20, and as the axis of the brush is at an angle to the axis of shaft 1:, and as it is desirable to arrange shaft 20 and the axis of the brush in parallel arrangement, this involves .the angular relationship shown between the axes of sl1afts 20 and o, wherefore the special connection described is provided. It will be ,thatwould not, however, involve any departure from the main features of my invention. 1 i

To remove the fine particles of fabric that adhere to the points after the cutting operation there is provided the brush 30 hereinbefore mentioned. The brush, together with a pulley 35 secured thereto, turns loosely on a stud 31 secured in a holder 32 which is adjustably secured to blockm by means of screws 33 engaging the block and extending through vertical slots in the holder. Another screw 34, extends into holder 32, its head resting upon block m. To vertically adjust holder 32, screws 33 are loosened and the holder adjusted up or down by means of screw 34, after which screws 33 are tightened to maintain the holder in its adjusted position.

Pulley 35 is driven, through a belt 36, from a pulley 37 on shaft20. In the rotation of the brush, the fine particles of fabric are brushed from the points, throwing the particles away from the table into any conveniently arranged receiver.

In the operation of the machine the table is slowly turned, during which movement the operator loops the fabric'upon points 0, placing successive loops extending across the fabric upon successive points. At the same time the shaft 20 is rotated, and preferably it is rotated at such speed that the knife :10 will be given one complete oscillatory movement back and forth 'while the table has turned a distance equal to the space between two adjacent points. The relative speeds of rotation of the table and shaft 20 need not, however, be so arranged, but I have found such relation to be an efiicient one, as it requires that' the knives shall sever only one loop in each oscillation of knife m. It will be understood that the machine does not operate as a whole until its operation has continued for part of a revolution, so as to carry the fabric first looped successively past the knives, the brush, and finally under the sewing mechanism, which latter is not herein shown, as it forms no part of my invention. Thereafter all parts of the machine are operative so long as the operator continues to loop the fabric upon the points. The cutting movement of the oscillatory knife is radially outward, thus causing a portion ofthe fine particles of yarn to be thrown directly away from the machinep The brush rotates at such a rate of speed that each point is brushed with the utmost thoroughness, so that the points and the fabric carried thereby are absolutely clean when they leave the brush.

The advantages of the foregoing construction may be summarized as follows: The

, rigidity of the oscillatory knife due to the solid construction of its support and the saddle bearing for its axle; the protection afforded to the'points and the brass ring due to the construction and arrangement of the knives and the accuracy and certainty with which the knives may be held in position; the durability of the knives due to their shape and relative positioning and arrangement and also to the fact that the knife blades themselves are not perforated to receive holding screws and that each knife may be resharpened until its length is very very much reduced; the ease with which the knives may be adjusted both vertically and across the line of work; the arrangement whereby the movable knife has a cutting motion in a radially outward direction; the readiness with which the trimming mechanism may be taken down to get access to the points and then replaced Without impairing the alinement ofthe parts; the high speed brushing action in a radially outward direction; the capacity toreadily adjust the brush to the work; and the clearness of vision for the operator after the work leaves the brush in that the top of the machine and the stitch line is brushed clear of all fine particles of yarn.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. In a looping machine, the combination with the annular row of looping points and means to rotate same, of a curved knife extending outward and downward and having an outer cutting edge, a support for the curved knife, means to oscillate thesupport, and a substantially flat knife having an inner cutting edge adapted to cooperate with the first knife.

2. In a looping machine, the combination with the annular row of looping points and means to rotate same, of a curved knife extending downward and outward and arranged to oscillate on an axis extending above and along the line of travel of the looping points at the trimming point, and a substantially flat knife extending in a radial direction and in a substantially hori zontal plane the body of which extends out side the points and over the inner cutting Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0.

edge of which the cutting edge of the first knife is adapted to pass and trim the fabric looped on the points.

3. In a looping machine, the combination with the annular row of looper points, of a knife the body of which extends outside the points and the inner cutting edgeof which overlies the outer ends of the points, an oscillatory'knife adapted to cooperate with the first knife, a support upon which the first knife rests, a plate overlying the support and first knife, and means securing the plate to the support.

4. In a looping machine, the combination with the annular row of looper points, of a knife the body of which extends outside the points and the inner cutting edge of which overlies the outer edge of the points, a knife support, a plate overlying and engaging the ,knife and the support, a screw extending through the support and engaging the under side of the knife, and a screw by which the plate is secured to the support.

In a looping machine, the combination with the table and the annular row of looper points, of a block supported from, and vertically adjustable relatively to, the table, a horizontal shaft turnable in the block, means to oscillate the shaft, a knife-support turning with the shaft, an oscillatory knife carried by said support, a fixed support secured to the block and extending outside of and along the line of looped points, and a fixed knife secured to and extending inwardly from the fixed support and cooperation with the oscillatory knife to trim the fabric.

6. In a looping machine, the combination with the annular row of looping points, of a block, a shaft turnable therein, a knife support carried by the shaft, said support having a curved periphery recessed across part of its width and in the direction of its circumference, a curved knife inserted in said recess, a curved plate overlapping the knife and the unrecessed part of the support,means retaining the plate against the support and the knife and holding the latter in its recess, and a second knife coopera ting with the first knife to trim the fabric.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, on

this 16th day of November, 1914.

CHARLES H. F. KEEN E. 

